


Oh Happy Daggers

by amsves



Category: Log Horizon
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Always a Lander AU, Don't copy to another site, F/M, changed warnings from 'chose not' to 'none apply', that's right this is TWO aus!
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-05
Updated: 2020-09-18
Packaged: 2021-03-04 04:48:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 12,197
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24547912
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/amsves/pseuds/amsves
Summary: Akatsuki takes a job just like any other. Except it isn't, for more reasons than first meet the eye.[Updates Infrequently]
Relationships: Akatsuki/Shiroe (Log Horizon)
Comments: 12
Kudos: 26





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [beyond the horizon](https://archiveofourown.org/works/20468225) by [VagabondDawn](https://archiveofourown.org/users/VagabondDawn/pseuds/VagabondDawn). 



> Hello again, it's me with another hyper-specific AU, except this time it's two of them because reasons. 
> 
> Title (and plot!) comes from the JubyPhonic x Rachie duet of [A Female Ninja, But I Want to Love](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dPw-0vctJJQ). If you're familiar with the song, the story beats here aren't necessarily in the same order, but the idea came from there. 
> 
> And of course, the idea _also_ came from VagabondDawn's "beyond the horizon" which is great and you should read it. I've taken the Lander!Shiroe AU and expanded it to make all of our favorite characters Landers here. 
> 
> I think that's enough rambling! Enjoy :)

_Well, this is it._

Akatsuki stared up at the Ancient Palace of Eternal Ice, wiped her sweating palms on her shirt, and took a deep breath. She had heard about the splendor of the palace, of course, but words could only paint so much of a picture in her mind. She had never been able to see it up close, at full size. But standing right in front of it, the Palace was massive, and glimmered so brightly in the afternoon sun she thought she might go blind.

That just wouldn’t do. Akatsuki shielded her eyes and advanced towards the side gate of the palace. _I’m a ninja_ , she chided herself. _I shouldn’t be getting star-struck over some fancy architecture. Nor should I be careless enough to compromise my vision. I’ve barely even begun this job and I’m already screwing up. Maybe I should just go home_. 

Akatsuki smiled. _Of course, that wouldn’t do. I can’t just give up and go home. What kind of ninja would I be then? I’m the best kunoichi_ _in Lord Malves’ employ, and here I am getting cold feet because of a little ice_. 

In no time, she was at the palace gate closest to her destination--the library. “I would like to see the Mage of Miral Lake,” she said to the guards, polite but firm. “I’m a scholar. I’ve come to study here.”

The two guards looked at each other, and then stepped aside. The palace gates swung open slowly, though whether by magic or by an unseen mechanism she couldn’t say. She was escorted to the library doors, and then left alone. 

The doors were easily twice as tall as her, though that wasn’t saying much. Once again, Akatsuki found herself getting nervous. _What’s gotten into me? This isn’t my first job. I’ve been doing this for years._ Was it perhaps because this was her first assignment so far from home? Or was it really just the intimidating stature of her temporary base of operations? 

Whatever the reason, she was stalling. Akatsuki rapped lightly on the door. “Hello? Is anyone in there?” 

There was no answer. 

She knocked again harder. “Mage of Miral Lake? Are you there?”

“Oh, are you a visitor?”

Akatsuki whirled around. Behind her was a young girl in white--certainly younger than Akatsuki herself, though nearly the same height--carrying a tray with three cups of tea. _I was so wrapped up in my own head that I didn’t hear her come up behind me_ , Akatsuki thought bitterly. _I’m really not doing so well today_. Out loud, she said, “Yes, I’m a visitor. I came to study, if the Mage will allow it, but I’ve been knocking and there’s no answer …”

“They’re probably all wrapped up in their studies,” the girl replied, smiling. “They’d work themselves for three days straight without noticing. Sometimes I think that the only reason Shiroe brought me here was so that someone would find their bodies when that really does happen one day.” 

_Wow. The differences between perception and reality today are really something. My target is just some guy who can’t even take care of himself?_

Akatsuki’s thoughts must have shown on her face, because the girl quickly kept going. “Not that I think that’ll actually happen! I’m Minori, by the way. Scribe class, and Shiroe’s successor.”

“Akatsuki.” She had been briefed on the three scholars living at the Palace, including Minori. _Smart girl, young, rescued from a minor Noble along with her twin brother. They were being forced to work for no wages in order to increase his capital gain and decrease his territory’s debt. She’s next in line after Shiroe for the title of Mage._

“Well, Miss Akatsuki, I’d be happy to take you to the Mage if you’ll just open that door for me!” 

Akatsuki obliged, and into the library they went. 

She took a moment to take in her surroundings as they walked. From the door, she couldn’t see the other end of the room, though that could have been due to the dimness instead of the room instead of its size. Bookshelves seemed to be carved straight from the walls, and ancient records climbed at least six meters into the sky. The library was dark, with no windows, but many magical light sources kept her from straining her eyes. Still, she could barely see the Mage until she and Minori were right on top of him, since he was hidden behind a tower of books as tall as he was. 

“Master Regan!” Minori chirped. Akatsuki wondered if she was genuinely happy to see him, or if she was happy because there was another girl around. Or maybe she was just like this. “I brought someone to see you.”

Akatsuki bowed her head and started to introduce herself, but Regan stopped her before she could. “There’s no need to be so formal here. You’ll find we’re quite a casual bunch. Other than Minori, that is, but we’re trying to get her to break the habit.”

Akatsuki straightened before trying again. “My name is Akatsuki. I’ve come here to study. My area of focus is weapons in the old myths. I hear you’re a Lore Master, so I thought it would be advantageous to begin my studies here.” These were lines she had rehearsed many times before. She hoped they didn’t come off as stiff. 

“Well, Akatsuki, it’s lovely to meet you. My name is Regan, and I am the current Mage of Miral Lake. Though, of course, you knew that already.” Regan clapped his hands together and smiled. He was also wearing white, she noticed, though his robes were noticeably in worse condition than Minori’s. “Now, the only person left to introduce you to is my successor, Shiroe. I know he’s around here somewhere …” Regan glanced around the library, his smile falling off his face. “Minori, do you know where Shiroe ran off to?”

“‘M right here,” said a muffled voice from further into the library. A hand shot up from a stack of scrolls. “Be right over.”

Shiroe. Akatsuki’s main target. She was to gather information on Regan and Minori for Lord Malves, but her primary goal on this mission was the assassination of the next Mage, Shiroe. She remembered asking why him, instead of the current Mage, and being reprimanded for questioning her orders. Still, Malves had answered her, a luxury not all were afforded. _“Regan isn’t going to keel over and die while you’re there, but he’s still old. Minori is new and young. Shiroe’s the link holding them together. If he dies, Regan won’t have time to finish training Minori as the next Mage, and Eastal will have lost a valuable asset.”_ The logic was solid, though Akatsuki didn’t understand why Malves didn’t order her to just kill all three of them. Maybe he didn’t trust her to eliminate three people quickly enough to escape with no witnesses.

Akatsuki pushed those thoughts aside as Shiroe approached her and the rest of the little group. He was tall, she noticed, at least twenty centimeters taller than she was. He wore white like the rest, though--like Regan’s--his robes were tattered at the ends and discolored here and there, likely from ink. She looked up to meet his eyes and found them behind thin wire frames. “I’m--”

“Akatsuki, right?” he finished. “I heard. Didn’t want to make you go through that whole introduction again. I’m Shiroe, as you’ve also heard. Archmage class, and hopefully the next Mage.”

His face was slim, and there were bags under his eyes that gave his gaze a sharp edge. Still, Akatsuki found his appearance cute. _If I were a regular girl, that is! I would think he was cute if I was just a normal girl who worried about things like love, but I’m not and I don’t. He’s just a target like any other whose physical appearance means nothing to me_.

“Well,” she said finally, aware that she had spent several seconds just looking at him instead of replying, “I look forward to working with you.”

“Likewise.” 

The conversation ended, but neither of them moved. Akatsuki took those few extra moments to really study her target. She was sure she had never seen him before outside of the rough drawings provided to her during her briefing, and yet there was something _there_ , just beyond the edge of her understanding. _There’s just something about him …_

It took Regan clapping his hands again to break them from their reverie. “Why don’t we give you a little tour of our home, Akatsuki? We can start with the library, and then walk you past the kitchens and down the hall to our rooms. I’m sure you must be tired and hungry after such a long journey.”

As if on cue, Akatsuki’s stomach gurgled. Shiroe muffled a snort, while Minori giggled cutely. _Is everything she does cute? That’s going to get tiresome_. “That sounds great,” she said, addressing Regan. 

“Wonderful. Well, let’s start with where we are right now. This is the library in the Ancient Palace of Eternal Ice …”

They walked further towards the back of the library, and Regan gave her a brief history of how the Palace came to be. Along the way he pointed out certain towers of records that had been ‘organized’ by a single subject or author, though they were really just piled together on any available surface or, if there was none available, on the floor. _How they find things in here is anyone’s guess. Though, I guess they probably have a spell for that._

After they reached the far wall of the library and circled back, Minori took the lead and brought the group out into the afternoon sun. The covered walkway shielded much of the glare, but Shiroe and Regan still winced as the sun hit their eyes, and Shiroe brought a hand up to block it further. _They really don’t go outside much_ , Akatsuki noted. _Lord Malves was right, there would have been no way to complete this job without getting on the inside._

Akatsuki’s briefing had included the fact that no one family belonging to the Eastal league lived in the Palace year-round, so she was surprised to see so many servants and knights walking around, each looking busy but not frazzled. The kitchen chefs and dishwashers greeted the posse warmly when they stopped by, and Akatsuki had to promise to send down a list of her favorite and least favorite foods so that they could be taken into account. By the time they left the kitchens and started towards the bedrooms, her head was spinning. She had been trying to keep track of all the faces she saw, but that was quickly proving to be a task beyond mental measure. _I’ll have to write down everything I remember later, but I know it’s not going to be complete by any means._

Minori stopped the four of them at an intersection with another path. “If you keep going straight, you’ll enter the main part of the palace through those doors down there. But we almost never go there. We turn left here, towards our rooms.”

A few feet down the left path was the first set of what Akatsuki presumed was bedroom doors. But the group kept going further down the covered hallway, until they were nearly at the end. Shiroe leaned against a pair of wooden double doors to push them open. “This is where you’ll be staying, if it’s alright with you. Minori is next door, and then me, and then Regan is the last room on the end.”

Akatsuki was used to sleeping in fields, on rooftops, and in all conditions in between. She could fall asleep anywhere at the drop of a hat, thanks to rigorous training. But that wouldn’t be needed, because this was the most comfortable-looking accommodation she’d ever been given on a job. A four-poster bed against one wall was piled high with plush quilts (though it wasn’t exactly winter anymore, so those would be largely unnecessary). A dressing table with a mirror sat against the opposite wall, and underneath the window opposite the door were two armchairs and a low table. This room was fit for someone of much higher status than she, which made sense given its location, but it still made Akatsuki feel like she was in way, _way_ over her head. 

“Do you like it?” Minori asked timidly.

Akatsuki snapped herself out of her thoughts. “It’s … much more than I was expecting,” she replied, trying to conceal her hesitance. “Thank you. Are your rooms like this as well?”

“Yep! This whole hallway is actually intended for Mages and scholars to live in, but there’s only the three of us who stay here regularly. Master Regan’s room is a bit different, because he is _the_ Mage of Miral Lake instead of just _a_ Mage, but mine and Master Shiroe’s looked the same when we moved in.”

Akatsuki stepped into the room and set her small bag of belongings on the dressing table. It was always more than enough to get her through a mission--a change of clothes, a few food items that wouldn’t go bad, and various kunoichi tools--but the room dwarfed it, giving her the impression that she had barely brought anything at all. 

As if sensing her hesitation, Regan added, “If you need something, just catch the attention of one of the maids. I’m sure they have most everything a travelling scholar could need, including extra clothes and the like.”

Minori nodded. “And if you take a right where we took a left to get here, you’ll find both the boys’ and girls’ bathrooms. They always have towels and soap in there. These bathrooms can be used by all of the servants, but most of them use one of the other ones, since this one is kinda out of the way.”

“I hadn’t imagined the life of a scholar to be quite so …”

Shiroe’s lips twisted into a smile. “Lavish?” She nodded slightly, and he continued. “Think about it this way. They’re providing us the resources we need to stay healthy and comfortable, so that we can serve the Eastal League by doing research and preserving this world’s history. It’s a valuable service. Though, it did take me some time to get used to it all as well. You’ll become acclimated to it all, too.” 

“So you’re staying with us for a while?” Minori asked, a bit of surprise on her otherwise happy face. “I didn’t know we were expecting a long-term guest! And you packed so light ...”

Shiroe spluttered. “I meant _if_ she stays a long time, of course. We all know research can take ages, and--”

“I’m not sure how long I’ll need to stay,” Akatsuki interrupted calmly, “But I hope I can count on you all to take care of me while I finish what I need to do.”

The words tasted like ash in her mouth. She was used to it. 

After a few more remarks, the three mages left Akatsuki alone, with the promise to send a tray with dinner to her room. Akatsuki used her time alone to familiarize herself with the room. _The window does open, but we’re on the second floor, and there’s a spike of ice ten feet below me. That’ll be useful as a last resort, but I wouldn’t want to try it if I didn’t have to. I’m not sure what kind of magical surveillance they could have in here, but there’s nothing I’m familiar with, so I’ll just have to hope they aren’t spying on me. The closet is empty, and I don’t see a false back or floor so it’s probably just a place to hang clothes. The chairs are just chairs, the table is just a table, the bed is just a bed … I think this room is just a room_.

There was a knock on the door. When she opened it, a maid handed her a tray for dinner. 

Food had become so much better since the May Incident, but Akatsuki rarely had the chance to enjoy it. Expertly-prepared foods didn’t usually hold up well on long stakeout missions, and if her nutrition was sufficient Akatsuki didn’t worry about taste when she ate back in the dojo school. Food had always been a means to an end. Sleeping had been a means to an end. Learning had been a means to an end. Every action had been necessary and efficient, pointing her in the direction of success. 

But this mission was different. She was here to gather all sorts of helpful information for her Lord, and that meant that she would have to adjust her act. This wasn’t the get-in-get-out type of job she was used to. Akatsuki would be firmly establishing her place in these peoples’ lives, getting to know them in order to tease out anything of interest. They wouldn’t trust a stranger. She would have to be their friend. 

Akatsuki couldn’t remember the last time she had had time for friends. 

On that rather sour note, she finished her delicious dinner and headed down the hallway for a bath. On the way, she stopped another maid. “I was told you had spare clothes for travellers?”

The maid nodded. “Yes we do, ma’am. I’ll bring them to your room right away.”

When Akatsuki returned to her room after her (luxurious, steamy, relaxing) bath, she found that the extra clothes were some of the same robes Minori had been wearing. That was unexpected. Judging by the slight fraying at the edges of the fabric, someone else--possibly Minori--had worn these. That was less unexpected. It would be wasteful for the Palace to throw away clothing after a single use, and while Nobles weren’t known for their frugality that would have been a bit much. 

She tried them on, and while Akatsuki wasn’t a fan of the color white or clothes with excess fabric, these would do. They weren’t too long or too short, at any rate, and the fabric was soft. She slipped a few knives up her sleeves and found that they were adequately concealed. _Well, that’s good then. I think my stay here at the Palace will be quite comfortable, at least in terms of stuff like this. But they didn’t tell me what time to get up and start the day, and I suspect that after dropping me off here they went back to their research. If my speculation is correct, they’re the kind of people to work late into the night and sleep late into the morning._

Akatsuki cut her train of thought off, took off the robes, and climbed into her bed. _Well, I’ll figure it out. I’m a ninja, and a good one at that. I’ll prove to Lord Malves that I can handle this sort of thing, and get to do more comfortable jobs like this instead of back alley stuff, and …_

Dreaming of a successful future, the kunoichi Akatsuki drifted off to sleep.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Akatsuki settles in.

A week had passed since Akatsuki infiltrated the Ancient Palace of Eternal Ice.

She was used to all sorts of things, due to her lengthy and intense training as a kunoichi, but sleeping in was not one of them. That was the hardest adjustment. Since there was no natural light in the library, the Mages had no sense of the time of day. Consequently, they ate when they got hungry, returned to their rooms when they felt tired, and rose when they were rested. For Akatsuki, who had always risen with the sun even before entering Lord Malves’ employ, this was unnatural, and she often found herself alone in the library during the early hours of the morning. 

It did help her image, she supposed, to be seen wandering the shelves and pulling books that looked relevant to her supposed area of study. And she was learning a lot, as well, even if it wasn’t the kind of thing she was  _ supposed _ to be learning. Her first report to Lord Malves had been full of odd details about the library wing layout, observed knight training exercises, and bits of lore, but nothing he had specifically requested.  _ Send to me Regan and Minori’s weaknesses _ , he had said,  _ And those of any Noble who stays there during your time.  _

Up to this point, no Nobles had visited, and the Mages’ only weaknesses seemed to be their lack of awareness when they got really invested in a topic or theory. But it was still early. Akatsuki still had plenty of time. She  _ would  _ succeed.

She had found out what they were studying on the second day. “World Class Magic is my specialty,” Regan had said, and then given a brief explanation of his magic classification system. “Since the May Incident, though, much of our attention has been focused there. It’s not the only time our world has been altered nearly beyond recognition. There may be much to apply from the past, and in turn this present incident may help explain that which we previously did not understand.”

That sounded fascinating, but Akatsuki’s ears had caught something early on, and she didn’t want to let it go. “World Class Magic is  _ your _ specialty, you said,” she repeated. “Does everyone here have a different specialty?”

“Minori hasn’t chosen one yet,” Shiroe explained, coming up behind her. “There’s no rush in choosing, so we wait until something really grabs us and won’t let us go. My specialty has always been Adventurer magic, but now after the May Incident they’ve changed so radically that I feel like my research is splitting in two.” 

“Would you mind telling me a bit about it?” she asked, eyes wide in faux-innocent fascination. Men, in her experience, typically couldn’t pass up an opportunity to ramble gleefully about whatever interests they held.

Shiroe was no different. He launched into a detailed description of how Adventurers used magic to live, how their relationship to Mana was different from Landers’ and how they were similar, and the various spells that were Adventurer-exclusive. All the while, Akatsuki pretended she was listening politely,  _ hmm _ -ing at appropriate intervals and nodding along. In reality, all of Shiroe’s words were going in one ear and out the other. She was using this time to study him.

_ Long, slender fingers. Calluses from holding quills, but I can’t see any on the palms. As I suspected, he’s had little to no weapon training. It’s hard to tell under these robes they all wear, but judging by his wrists I’d guess he’s pretty skinny, and not at all muscular. He looks rather light on his feet, but I’d prefer to avoid a situation where he can run or dodge anyways. And if need be, I’ll just lure him into the sunlight. He could barely stand it when we took our tour last week.  _

“--Akatsuki? Akatsuki?”

She blinked once, then twice. “I’m sorry?”

“I asked if you were confused by my explanation, since it looked like you were concentrating pretty hard,” Shiroe explained, “But you didn’t respond.”

“Ah, sorry.” She bowed, mostly out of politeness but also to hide the blush rising in her cheeks.  _ Drat! I can’t afford to get distracted and lose awareness of my surroundings. I’m no better than them. _ “My train of thought was derailed. I didn’t mean to stop paying attention to you.”

“Pay it no mind,” Shiroe said kindly, and she straightened. “You’ll find we’re all guilty of that here. Was it a new idea or theory that came to you?”

“Ah, well …” Akatsuki fiddled with the sleeve on her borrowed robe. She had been wearing them every day since she arrived, wanting to blend in instead of calling attention to herself. It seemed paradoxical that shedding her dark clothes would conceal her better, but then again, a lot of things about the Mages seemed to be that way.  _ Now, what to say? I can’t tell the truth!  _ “No, it wasn’t a new theory per se …”

“Master Shiroe, leave her alone,” Minori demanded, arms crossed in front of her chest. Her cheeks were puffed out in anger.  _ Gosh, she’s so cute. I was right, it’s annoying. _ “If Akatsuki doesn’t want to share her private thoughts, then we shouldn’t make her.”

Shiroe held his hands up in a show of innocence. “Hey, I was just asking! I didn’t mean to pry. I’m sorry for pressuring you, Akatsuki.”

“Pay it no mind.”

Shiroe looked a bit startled that she used his words, but then he smiled. “Alright. I won’t, then.”

His smile had unsettled something in her, and Akatsuki had faked a yawn as an excuse to retire to her room and have dinner sent there.

That conversation had taken place a few days ago. She hadn’t been as close to Shiroe since. It was hard to approach him. Since her cover story was that she was here to study under a Lore Master, it made sense that she went to Regan with her questions about research. When it wasn’t about her studies, Minori was always closer at hand. The other girl clung to Akatsuki’s side like they were sisters. Akatsuki couldn’t really  _ blame  _ her for wanting to spend time with another girl instead of two older men, but it did make Shiroe an elusive target. 

Even if Minori hadn’t stuck so close, Akatsuki’s mark seemed to prefer the back half of the library, hunched over a desk with only a Magic Light for company. To sneak up on him would not be difficult, since he seemed to lose himself in research, but the other two certainly wouldn’t remain unaware. Akatsuki would need a solid exit plan if that were her strategy, and unfortunately she wasn’t aware of a back exit from the library. She knew she could beat both Minori and Regan in combat, but together, in a place they knew like the back of their hand and she didn’t? Not a risk she was willing to take. 

And so Akatsuki watched, and waited. Meanwhile, life went on. And now, it was the eighth day of her stay. She had sent in her first report yesterday, and was currently at ‘her’ desk in the library, jotting down a few notes to include in the next one.

At her own desk, Minori stretched and yawned. “Man, I’m really beat. I could go for a nap. Anyone else?”

_ A nap? I’m about ready to sleep for the night!  _ “I’ll walk back to our rooms with you, Minori,” Akatsuki volunteered. She rose from her chair and tucked her report draft under a stack of research papers. “I’m about done for the night anyways.”

“We’ll convert you to our crazy schedule one day,” Minori promised playfully, and got up from her own desk. Regan and Shiroe waved goodbye to the pair, and then they were off.

Outside the library, Minori stretched again. “I can’t believe the sun is already setting,” she remarked, shielding her eyes and staring off the balcony at the sky. “I feel like I just got up.”

“You three get up when the sun is already high in the sky,” Akatsuki pointed out. 

Minori giggled. “Well, yeah. I was like you when I first got here, but eventually I just adapted to Master Regan and Master Shiroe’s way of doing things. It was easier than working on my own schedule, since I’m being trained and taught by them anyways.”

Akatsuki hummed, not having anything to add. They walked in comfortable silence for a bit, before passing by a courtyard. It was full of young knights, still working hard even at the late hour. Akatsuki was reminded of something she had found odd on her first day. “Why are there so many knights here? I thought no family lived here full-time.”

“You’re right about that. But since no one family lives here, this place sees a lot of use for things like training camps, debutante balls, and conferences. Right now, Marquis Lester’s knights are staying here, as part of an extended training session. They come every year for about a month at a time. I’ve gotten to know some of them.”

As if on cue, there came a voice from the courtyard. “Miss Minori!” 

Minori walked over to the guardrail on the pathway and waved cheerfully, before beckoning to Akatsuki to do the same. Akatsuki lifted a hand gingerly in greeting. From below, she heard the knights wondering who she was. 

_ “Is that a new Mage in training?” _

_ “Could be, or maybe they’re Miss Minori’s friend? They look like they could be the same age.” _

_ “Either way, I bet Master Shiroe’s happy about that,” _ the knight who appeared to be in charge remarked, though his tone was teasing.  _ “Now everybody, let’s get back to work! Stop gawking.” _

_ “Sir, yes, sir!” _

Minori gave the knights another wave, then pulled Akatsuki away from the balcony by her sleeve. Akatsuki let herself be led along, but she couldn’t shake off that odd remark from the knight in charge. “Um, Minori? What did that one knight mean when he said Shiroe would be happy about me being here?”

Minori waved a hand. “Oh, that’s an old joke. Before me, there hasn’t been a female Mage in several generations, so when I arrived here, it was a bit of a surprise. That knight, Naotsugu, jokingly asked Master Shiroe if I was here to be a Mage or a live-in girlfriend.”

“But you’re not, right? Shiroe’s girlfriend?”

“No. Why?” Minori stopped walking and turned to stare at Akatsuki. There was something intense in her eyes that Akatsuki couldn’t identify. “Would it  _ bother you _ ?”

“No! I mean, maybe? I don’t know exactly how old you and Shiroe are, but he seems a lot older than you, so that would be kinda weird, but--” 

“Even if we were soulmates?”

_ Well, that would certainly change things … or would it? Soulmates or not, having an actual child for a girlfriend as an adult is still pretty despicable. I wouldn’t hesitate to kill him over that.  _ Akatsuki cleared her throat. “Still weird. He wouldn’t be the man I thought he was if he was taking advantage of a young girl.”

Minori smiled, and the tension dissolved. They started walking again. “Well, you have nothing to fear. We’re not soulmates or partners, and Master Shiroe’s a true gentleman. But what kind of man  _ do  _ you think he is, Miss Akatsuki?”

“Intelligent,” Akatsuki started, “Passionate about his responsibilities, a little awkward with other people. He’s nice, too.”

“Do you think he’s cute?”

Akatsuki flinched. “Why does that matter?”

“Oh, I don’t know,” Minori sing-songed. “I just don’t get the chance to have this kind of girl-talk much, and besides, I’m interested to see what you think. You’re more impartial than I am.  _ I  _ think he’s one of the greatest guys in the world, but of course  _ I  _ would say that. He did save me and my brother, after all, and he’s taught me so much. So? What about you?”

“He’s … not unattractive,” Akatsuki said, after a long pause. 

“So that means he’s attractive.”

“I just don’t think he’s ugly, that’s all. Anyways, what’s with the interrogation?” Akatsuki was flustered. She knew her face was probably bright red, and the setting sun wouldn’t do her coloring any favors. 

“It sounds like you have a crush on Master Shiroe, Miss Akatsuki.”

“I don’t!”

“You spend a lot of time staring at him in the library.”

“Please, can we talk about something else?” Akatsuki practically pleaded.  _ I don’t have any idea how crushes work, so Minori’s going to figure out there’s something not normal about me. Or she’ll accept that I don’t have a crush and then she’ll wonder why  _ _ else _ _ I’m so interested in him! _

“Oh, I’m so sorry!” Minori’s facial expression morphed from happy to heartbroken in an instant. “I didn’t realize I was making you so uncomfortable!”

“Oh--”

“I’ve been treating you like just another one of us,” Minori continued, despite Akatsuki’s attempted interjection, “Because you just fit in so well here with the three of us, and I’ve always from day one wanted another girl to talk to. But you’re  _ not  _ one of us, not really. I like you, and I hope you like me too, but we’re practically strangers. I didn’t have the right to demand such personal information from you.” 

By the end of her apology Minori looked downright miserable. “It’s not that,” Akatsuki said gingerly, placing a tentative hand on the younger girl’s shoulder. “It’s just … I don’t have any experience with boys or romance or that sort of thing. It’s embarrassing.”  _ That’s a good reason to not want to talk about my not-crush on Shiroe, right? I think that’s pretty believable. _

Minori seemed to think so as well. She dried her eyes with her overlong sleeve and blinked hopefully at Akatsuki. “... I didn’t realize,” she said at last. “You said you were beginning your studies here, so I thought you might have had a normal life before becoming a scholar later.”

_ Alright. Other than being a kunoichi, I’ve got the ideal backstory to explain this. Now let’s just be careful.  _ “Not quite. I … while I wasn’t a scholar, per se, I still lived a pretty secluded life before this. I had a few peers, but we were all focused on things other than romance. And no one ever took an interest in me anyways, since I look basically half my age.”

Minori looked like she accepted Akatsuki’s explanation. “That makes sense. I’m sorry for making so many assumptions about you, Miss Akatsuki. It was careless of me. I’ll be more considerate going forward.”

Akatsuki had just enough time to relax before Minori continued, “But how old are you, really? I know you’re older than me, but if you really look half your age … are you in your twenties?”

“Twenty exactly,” Akatsuki sighed. “And fully grown. So, as you might assume, it’s difficult to care about romantic pursuits, when the only people who have ever expressed interest in me are actual children.”

“Well, maybe you’ll find your soulmate,” Minori reasoned, “And they’ll think you’re perfect just the way you are. It could happen.”

Akatsuki snorted. “Thanks for the vote of confidence.” And with that, they came upon their rooms. Akatsuki pushed the heavy wooden door open and stepped inside. “Goodnight, Minori.”

“I was serious!” Minori shouted, after the door swung closed. “Maybe you  _ will _ be one of the lucky ones! Don’t give up so soon!”

_ Yeah, right. If I find my soulmate, that means I’ve done something  _ _ wrong _ . Soulmates were real, and many people did find their other half, but far more people went their entire lives without ever finding ‘the one’. The population of Yamato was huge, after all, and the population of Theldesia was even greater. Akatsuki didn’t know if Adventurers could have soulmates, but even without them there were far too many people in the world for a single Lander to happen across their soulmate by chance. And you didn’t know if someone was your soulmate until you first made skin-to-skin contact with them, which made it even less convenient. Even in the name of Destiny, not many people wanted strangers to come up to them and just touch them.

Those who did find their soulmate didn’t necessarily fall in love and live happily ever after, either. Akatsuki knew from her time with Lord Malves that soulmates were a huge inconvenience for the Noble class. Carefully drawn treaties and uneasy alliances could shatter over something like a soul mark shared between Noble children of the ‘wrong’ families, and it would be catastrophic for a Noble daughter intended for a political marriage to be the soulmate of some common farmer or artisan. As far as Akatsuki could tell, Westlande Nobles did not touch each other at all unless they were betrothed, or unless one or more parties knew their soulmate already. It was a lonely world, but a safe one. 

Ninja and kunoichi lived much the same way. To find one’s soulmate would be a conflict of interest, and would practically force them to find a new line of work,  _ if  _ they were allowed to just up and leave.  _ The myths say we all have a soulmate, but I don’t know if I believe that anyway. How could we know that, when so many people never find theirs? And if I’m right, that we don’t all have one, I  _ _ definitely _ _ don’t have one. But that doesn’t bother me. I’m the best kunoichi Lord Malves has. I won’t be wasted on something like love.  _

Akatsuki jotted down in her report all the fragments of her conversation with Minori that she could remember. Then she went to sleep. 

Her dream that night was strange. When she woke up the next morning she could only remember fragments of it, and none of it made sense. The thing that disturbed her the most was the despair she felt at the idea of dream-Shiroe and dream-Minori being soulmates. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> okay maybe this'll be 4 chapters. darn it.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Akatsuki gets an opportunity.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hahahah   
> so this chapter has been sitting completed in google drive since july 26
> 
> oops
> 
> enjoy! it's 6,000 words :)

The days continued to pass, and Akatsuki found herself no closer to completing the first phase of her mission. She had stayed in the palace for an entire month already, and barely learned anything useful. Her reports were filled with scattered details and facts that failed to paint a bigger picture, and she could tell Malves was dissatisfied. That, more than anything, made her uneasy. But there was nothing to do during the first phase except try again, so every day Akatsuki got up and went to the library. 

She _had_ managed to please Malves one time, and she knew that because he actually sent her a reply. Akatsuki had practically tripped over a scroll one day, and when she picked up she could hardly believe her eyes. This was the scroll that had instructions for how to make an enchanted Diadem, the kind that Regan and Shiroe always wore! Akatsuki had brought the scroll back to her desk and copied it in its entirety, before rolling it up and bringing it back to Regan. “I think this has lost its place. I found it near Shiroe’s desk, but I doubt he has any need for it.”

“Oh, actually, he does,” Regan had explained, taking the scroll from her hands. “He is beginning to work on Minori’s diadem. She’s still a ways off from earning it, but it never hurts to be prepared.”

Minori had heard her name in the discussion and popped over, and between the two of them Akatsuki had received a brief lesson on the history and purpose of the diadem. Essentially, adult Mages wore them because they were enchanted to provide enhanced memory recall and insight. Minori didn’t have one yet because it was important she not rely on it during her training, but once she was a full Mage and had acquired the skills necessary to succeed in her field, the diadem would simply be a helpful aid in her research. 

(That was one reason. The other was that she was not yet fully grown, and it would be troublesome to adjust the diadem after it was crafted specifically for her measurements. Akatsuki, who was fully grown despite being the same size as Minori, ignored that reason.)

Malves had been thrilled with the information, and Akatsuki had received a brief letter of praise and a request to send him more information like that. _Useful stuff_ , he had written, _not worthless drivel unworthy of the ink and paper it depended on_. That part stung, but she understood his frustrations. Her presence at the Palace was for one reason, with two subreasons; as it stood, the second subreason had not yet come to pass, and she was failing the first. 

She did, fortunately, have an opportunity to fix that. The Conference of Lords was coming up at the end of the week, and many Nobles and their attendants had already started to arrive. The palace was abuzz with activity for once, transforming the very atmosphere even all the way in the library wing. No one except the Mages _walked_ anymore; they were always running around, trying to do a thousand things at once. Conversations and orders filled the once still and quiet air. Underneath it all ran a current of energy that demanded you pay attention. This was going to be _important._

For Akatsuki, this was a godsend. So many important people from Eastal were gathering in one place, completely unaware that a Westlande kunoichi was among them and ready to steal their secrets. Minori also seemed excited by the Conference, though her reasons were undoubtedly different. She had more of a pep in her step, and Akatsuki had heard her humming one of the forty-two under her breath more than once in the days leading up to it. Regan seemed relatively unaffected by the commotion, but he _had_ been at the Palace many years. This wasn’t anything special anymore to him.

The person worst off in it all was Shiroe. He had been here long enough that the novelty of the semiannual Conference had worn off, but not long enough to become impervious to all the hubbub. Consequently he became even more of a hermit than he usually was, sometimes spending entire day-night cycles in the library in an attempt to avoid going outside and running into at least three servants between the library and his destination. Minori seemed to be taking pity on him, bringing him meals and even a pillow, while Regan just looked amused at his efforts. 

As the Conference drew nearer, Shiroe’s mood steadily got worse. He was constantly irritable, and while Akatsuki couldn’t say he was snapping at anyone or outright yelling, his words were definitely clipped and harsher than usual. He had never looked terribly well-rested, but the bags under his eyes were deeper and more pronounced than ever. Apparently, sleeping at his desk wasn’t very restful, and his composure was suffering for it. Minori and Regan’s patience was drying up as well. It was frankly a miracle that they made it to the opening day without a real fight breaking out. 

But there were no fights, thankfully, and the opening day of the Conference had arrived. When the first trumpet blast of the morning, signalling the arrival of a Noble family, rang out through the palance, Shiroe groaned and crumpled the piece of paper he was currently writing on. “It’s finally time, huh.” He put his head down on his desk. “ _Great_.”

“Master Shiroe, that’s enough!” Minori declared, and yanked him back by his hood. Shiroe choked as his air supply was cut off and his head flew backwards off the desk. “You’ve been acting like a real bear this week, and we’ve been being nice to you because we know you don’t like big crowds, but we have a guest! It’s embarrassing and impolite.”

“Hey, that’s--”

“I’m not done,” Minori continued, interrupting his attempt to break in. “You need to get out of this library. You’re going to find a servant and ask them to bring some breakfast to your room, then take a nice, long, relaxing bath, then eat that breakfast, and then take a nap.” 

Akatsuki could see that Shiroe was still not on board with Minori’s plan. Minori evidently could tell as well, because she amended it a moment later. “Alright, fine. _I’ll_ tell someone to deliver your breakfast. You don’t have to talk to anyone. Just go bathe, then eat, then sleep. I want us all to watch the ball tonight, and I _don’t_ want you to be dragging down the mood.”

“Did you even _ask_ if we all wanted to watch the ball tonight?” Shiroe countered half-heartedly, but he stood up from his desk and stretched anyways. “Fine. I’ll go take a bath and then a nap, but not because I think you’re right.”

Minori’s brow was crumpled in confusion. “Huh? Then why?”

Shiroe smiled. “It’s nice to see you take charge every once in a while. I know you’re still third in line, but it’s good to know that you’ve got what it takes.” He stretched again, and Akatsuki heard something--probably his spine-- _crack_ in a way that sounded extremely satisfying. “You’ve really come out of your shell since Akatsuki got here,” he added, almost as an afterthought. “Is she the reason you’re so sassy all of a sudden?”

“W-what? Master Shiroe, you shouldn’t--”

“I know, I know. I’m being ‘impolite’. Well, I’ll go implement your plan now.” With a wave, Shiroe turned and walked out of the library, unaware of the way he made Minori’s face turn bright red. 

After the door swung shut behind him, Minori took a faltering step towards it. “I need to go find someone to deliver breakfast now,” she whispered. 

Akatsuki stopped her with a pinch of Minori’s sleeve. “I’ll go. You might want to sit down or something.”

“She’ll be fine,” Regan chimed in. “You remember your first love, don’t you, Akatsuki?”

“We are _not_ getting into this again,” she said instead of answering, and strode out of the library to find a servant. 

A few minutes later, Akatsuki returned to the library carrying breakfast for three. Minori, who had been sitting down, leaped up at her approach. “Miss Akatsuki! You didn’t have to do this for us.”

“Well, I was already out.” Akatsuki set the large tray--full of toast, jam, and bacon--down on her desk. “And I have a request to make as well.”

“So you’re buttering us up,” Regan finished, and Akatsuki nodded. He plucked a strip of bacon off of the tray. “Well, go ahead then.”

“I want to take today off from researching.”

“You don’t have to ask us for permission for that kind of thing, Akatsuki. You’re our guest, not our pupil. Take all the time you need.” Regan finished his first strip of bacon and licked the grease from his fingers before grabbing a second piece. Akatsuki suppressed a shudder. “Is this related to the Conference?”

“Yes, actually,” Akatsuki explained as she spread apple preserves on a piece of toast. “I want to explore the Palace a bit more. I’ve been here a whole month, but I’ve still seen so little, and it’s been so empty. With all the people here, today feels like the perfect day.”

“You’ll have to be careful not to get in the way,” Minori cautioned. She grabbed a piece of toast. “My first year here, I got _severely_ told off by a Noble for being underfoot. We have the right to be at the Palace as much as they do, and they can’t punish us or anything without meeting and voting on it, but it was still super mean. And we do live here, but we’re not invited to the Conference, so make sure you don’t go somewhere you’re not allowed.”

Akatsuki couldn’t stop her lips from turning up at the corners. “I’m good at staying unnoticed. That won’t be an issue.”

The trio finished their breakfast, and then Akatsuki grabbed the tray once more. “I’ll go drop this off at the kitchens, and then I’ll see you both later to watch the ball?”

Minori nodded eagerly. “Sounds perfect. Have fun! Don’t wear yourself out!”

Immediately upon stepping out of the library, a servant carrying a towering stack of linens nearly bowled Akatsuki over. _Shiroe might have had a point, sleeping in the library all this time. Our usually empty wing of the Palace … well, it’s the opposite of empty now. _

It was a little saddening to see their peaceful home so busy, but Akatsuki forced herself to ignore those emotions and instead focus on the positives. _This is the perfect opportunity to get good information for Lord Malves. Ears open, eyes open, but blend in. We might live in a Palace, but to the Nobles we’re commoners just like all the rest. If I melt into the shadows and don’t draw attention to myself, they’ll never even notice I’m here._

Malves had no intentions of coming to the Conference himself, so layouts and room assignments wouldn’t do him any good. But drama and secrets would. It was still early in the day, so the Nobles were still moving their stuff into the Palace. Akatsuki planted herself around the corner from a hallway filled with guest suites and watched as servants brought in luggage and goods. 

Unfortunately, this first strategy yielded very little in terms of usable information. Akatsuki could rarely see exactly what was being transported, since everything was wrapped or in some sort of bag. What she could see was nothing of note. Marquis Kiliva seemed to have a large quantity of Adventurer-made swords brought to his quarters, which was a little surprising, but not really useful. All it told her was that Adventurers manufactured high-quality weaponry (which she knew) and that the Eastern Landers had reestablished trade after the May Incident (which she also knew). After an hour of seeing nothing, Akatsuki admitted defeat, and moved on to method two of information-gathering. 

She took up a perch on a spike of ice outside near the main gate and watched the Noble families arrive for a bit. There was nothing out of the ordinary there either, but it was a nice break. The sun was warm while the ice was cool, which kept Akatsuki in a nice equilibrium while she re-thought her strategy. _I think my best bet at this point would be to try and eavesdrop, but the official meetings don’t start until tomorrow, and I have no idea where to catch an unofficial one. I guess I could try wandering the halls in the guest wing of the Palace?_

That idea was the most fruitful so far (though that didn’t really mean much), as Akatsuki did manage to stumble upon a few furtive conversations between the Nobles. A few of them were even worth writing home about. _I’m not sure whether Lord Malves will care about Marquis Barle’s daughter being betrothed to Marquis Lester’s son, but it might be useful. And the new trade agreement between Mogami and Chevrin might be of interest as well. But what he’ll really like to know is that Princess Rayneshia is making her debut at this Conference, along with two less important Noble children. I’ve only caught a glimpse of her so far, but from what I’ve seen, I think the people who call her ‘melancholy’ and ‘deep in thought’ are wrong. She’s a potential weak link, one worth exploiting._

After a few hours spent sneaking about, Akatsuki’s stomach was empty. She headed back to the library wing of the Palace and sank into the bath with a sigh. It was actually in use by someone other than herself that day, for the first time since her arrival, so she didn’t stay long, but it did wonders to ease the tension she had been carrying with her all day. After drying off and re-dressing herself, she grabbed a small lunch from the kitchen and retreated to her room for a nap. _The real events of the Conference start tonight, after all, and continue for six more days. I need to be well-rested._

She woke in the evening, when the sun was dipping below the horizon, and returned to the library. Everyone seemed to be in high spirits--even Shiroe. He was smiling as he sat on the library floor with Minori, attempting to braid her short hair. He actually wasn’t half-bad, so this probably wasn’t the first time. Akatsuki approached them cautiously, not wanting to interrupt the good mood. “Hey, everyone. What time does the ball start?”

Minori turned her head to look at Akatsuki, and her hair fell through Shiroe’s fingers. “Miss Akatsuki! I’m glad you made it. Oh, sorry, Master Shiroe.” 

Akatsuki held her breath, but Shiroe simply combed his fingers through Minori’s hair gently and started the braid all over again. The nap must have done him good. “It’s fine. Your hair is short, so it doesn’t take a lot of time to braid it anyways.” To Akatsuki he added, “I hear you also took the day off?”

“And Minori and I did as well,” Regan added, “Or, at least, the afternoon off. So we should all be ready for a fun night.”

“Have you all eaten dinner yet?” 

“No, but who cares?” The second Shiroe was done with her hair, Minori jumped to her feet. “The ball is about to start, so we need to get going! I don’t want to miss the debut of Princess Rayneshia and the others!”

“ _I_ care”, Shiroe countered as he slowly made his way into a standing position. “Why don’t you all go ahead, and I’ll grab dinner for us all and bring it up?”

“Let me help,” Akatsuki offered. “It wouldn’t be fair to make you carry that all yourself.”

Regan clapped his hands together. “It’s settled, then. Minori and I will go ahead to our special observatory, and you two will join us a bit later. Shiroe, you remember where to go, right?”

“Of course. Just because I don’t care for the Conference doesn’t mean I block it from my mind after it’s over. Though, that would be useful. The point is, I remember.” 

The four split into their assigned pairs, and Minori practically dragged Regan out of the library. Shiroe and Akatsuki took a more leisurely pace, but still made it to the kitchen rather quickly. Being surrounded by people running to and fro rather made one hurry subconsciously, and in no time they were pushing open the kitchen doors.

Inside was absolute pandemonium. Servants from a dozen Noble households were crammed into what was usually a spacious area, all jostling for room as they worked frantically to get the food for the ball ready. As Akatsuki understood it, there weren’t real meals served at these sorts of events, but there would be a steady stream of appetizers and smaller dishes made for eating casually throughout the night. The kitchen would be like this for hours. 

The pair fought their way through the tide and ended up on the far end of the kitchen, where there was a pantry and ice box filled with food for day-to-day eating, not for party food preparation. Shiroe grabbed an empty burlap bag from a hook on the wall and handed it to Akatsuki, before dumping four apples into it. Then he added four thick slices of bread, a block of cheese, and a chunk of butter wrapped in paper. He was in the process of adding a few tomatoes when they were interrupted. 

“Stealing food? Now Master Shiroe, that just won’t do!”

Shiroe turned around, an amused look on his face. “Now Emilia, you know it’s not like that. We simply didn’t want to trouble you all when you’re so busy.”

The woman known as Emilia crossed her arms in front of her chest. “Rules are rules, Master Shiroe. I’ll have to rap you across the knuckles with a wooden spoon for your crimes. That’s what I do to the servants’ children around here when they get caught sneaking food.”

“What’s this about a thief in my kitchen, mmm?” Another Lander--a man, this time--approached them. “Master Shiroe, are you really making my right-hand woman take time out of her busy evening to scold you?”

“Nyanta, you’re joking, surely.”

“Of course I am. But she isn’t.” Nyanta smiled warmly. “Is this the new girl?” he added, directing his gaze at Akatsuki. “You’ve been here a whole month, and yet we’ve never met face-to-face. That just isn’t right. My name is Nyanta, and I’m the head chef here at the Palace.” 

“Akatsuki,” she answered shortly. “I’m sorry, are we in trouble? We were just grabbing some dinner--”

Shiroe put a hand on her shoulder. “They all love teasing me. We’re not in trouble.”

“I never tease!” Emilia returned, but she was smiling. “Don’t come within striking range, Master Shiroe, or you won’t like what happens to you.”

Shiroe held his hands up in a display of innocence. “Alright, alright! We’ll just go, how about that? We’ll get out of your hair and stop taking up your time.”

“It’s always a pleasure seeing you down here,” Nyanta said as he walked with them towards the kitchen doors. Akatsuki noticed he placed himself between them and Emilia. “You should stop making Minori or the servants bring you food all the time. Come visit an old friend every once in a while, instead of avoiding me.”

“I’m not avoiding _you_ ,” Shiroe replied petulantly. “I’m avoiding everyone else. In normal times, the second I set foot in that kitchen I’m accosted by people left and right. The only good thing about this Conference is that everyone’s usually too busy to bother me.”

“You’re popular. There are worse curses to have. Akatsuki, it’s the most amazing thing. Master Shiroe’s such a loner, but he’s got his own fan club here in the kitchen. You should see the way--”

“I’m changing the topic now,” Shiroe announced.

Nyanta laughed. “Well, I should leave you both to it anyways. Say hi to Minori and Regan for me, won’t ya?”

When the doors slammed behind them, both Shiroe and Akatsuki slumped against them and gave a sigh of relief. For several seconds they let the silence remain between them, comfortable and welcome after the chaos in the kitchen. Then they started walking. 

Shiroe broke the silence first, when they started climbing a circular set of back stairs. “That sure was something, huh?”

Akatsuki nodded, not having anything to say in reply. The silence continued for a bit more before she spoke. “I thought it was only Minori who called you Master Shiroe. But Nyanta and Emilia did as well. Should I be doing that too?”

“ _Please_ do not do that,” Shiroe replied emphatically. “Please. Don’t fall into that trap. I technically am of a higher status than the Palace servants, so it’s unavoidable that they call me that, even though I don’t like it. But you and I are equals. I’m not the Mage of Miral Lake yet, so please don’t refer to me as Master until I am. And hopefully, that’s still a long ways off.”

_Longer than you might think_ , Akatsuki added in her head, _Since you’re supposed to die before then_. But out loud, she simply said. “Alright then. I’ll stick with just Shiroe.”

She could see Shiroe’s shoulders slump slightly in relief. “Thank you.”

“So, do you really have a fanclub?”

Judging by Shiroe’s grimace, there was at least some truth to that statement. But he never answered, because at that moment they reached the top of the stairs. There was a circular balcony at the top of the turret she supposed they had just been climbing, with a railing running all the way around. Leaning over the railing was Minori, with Regan close behind. The Mage turned his head as their footsteps echoed on the stone platform, and he wiggled his fingers in greeting. “Shiroe, Akatsuki. Just in time.”

“Master Regan, that’s not true at all! You guys missed it!” Minori protested without tearing her eyes away from whatever she could see over the balcony railing. “There were three Noble girls making their debut tonight. Princess Rayneshia was the most beautiful by far, and her dress looked like it was made from thousands of rose petals! The other two girls were pretty too, though. I want to wear one of those dresses and go to a ball like this one day …” She trailed off with a dreamy sigh. 

Akatsuki came up beside her, still clutching the burlap bag from the kitchen. From their vantage point, they could see another balcony slightly below them, attached to the main ballroom. Some Nobles were out there, catching their breath in the cooler night air. The pleasant, familiar sounds of the forty-two played by the orchestra filled Akatsuki’s ears. “We brought dinner.”

“It’s not great, since we got attacked in the kitchen by Emilia,” Shiroe added, “But you weren’t interested in eating anyway, so I’m sure that doesn’t matter to you.”

At that moment, Minori’s stomach rumbled. “Well, maybe it matters a little…”

Regan took the bag from Akatsuki and set it on the balcony floor. “What did you get before Emilia chased you out?”

“Thankfully, Nyanta stopped her. But we got apples, tomatoes, bread, and cheese. And some butter.” Shiroe settled himself on the floor of the balcony and opened the bag. He pulled out the bread and butter and an embarrassed expression settled onto his face. “I forgot a knife.”

Akatsuki wordlessly pulled a small knife from her sleeve and flung it at the ground in front of him. He looked up at her in amazement and confusion. “Thank you, Akatsuki. Do you always carry a knife?”

She shrugged. “For situations like these, it comes in handy.” _Please don’t ask any more questions._

“Yeah? You frequently have butter but no knife to spread it with?” Shiroe started by smearing the four slices of bread with the butter he had brought, and then sliced up the cheese and the few tomatoes and added them on top. He passed them out, and the four bit into their makeshift dinner.

Eating their bread and apples didn’t take long, and Minori’s eyes never left the lower balcony. Frankly, Akatsuki didn’t see what all the fuss was about. Very few Nobles actually came out onto the lower balcony, and the forty-two were the same they had always been. She was almost more sympathetic to Shiroe; the preparation and inconvenience they had all endured made the Conference ball seem rather underwhelming. 

Minori didn’t think so. When the orchestra played the first few notes of [Twenty](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YljFnv1xcs8)\--a meandering, sophisticated waltz full of powerful strings--she sighed wistfully and rested her cheek on the upper balcony railing. “This one is my favorite,” she said aloud to no one in particular. “Do you think those Nobles know how lucky they are?”

“Lucky, hmm?” Regan parroted. “Yes, I suppose they are. But I wouldn’t want the job of a Lord or a Marquis. Who would want to navigate the trappings and taboos of politics and high society all the time?”

“Agreed.” Shiroe pulled his hood up before laying back on the stone floor of the upper balcony. “It might be fun at times, but it mostly just sounds exhausting.”

“You guys are always so negative,” Minori complained. “What about you, Miss Akatsuki? Are you with me?”

Akatsuki shook her head. “No way. Sorry, Minori.”

Minori groaned. “Don’t any of you have a sense of wonder? Imagination? Childish whimsy? Maybe the politics of it all would be boring, but it would be worth it to wear what they wear and eat what they eat. I wish I could be one of them, even for a day.”

“Well, we eat pretty well for common folk,” Shiroe reminded her gently. “And we live in the Palace, with servants who are always happy to assist us. Our lives are pretty comfortable. It surprises me that you, out of all of us, forgot that.”

Minori didn’t say anything in reply. Shiroe continued. “True, their clothing is fancier than ours, but I don’t think it looks more comfortable. I quite like our robes. As for the dancing, well,” he continued, starting to stand up, “You don’t have to be a Noble to do that. You don’t even need the forty-two, though fortunately they are being played right now. You just need to want to dance.” 

Shiroe walked over to Minori and tapped her on the shoulder. She spun around, confusion in her eyes. He extended a hand. “Minori, would you care to dance with me?”

She placed her hand in his gingerly. “You don’t have to do this just for me, Master Shiroe. You’re right, I was acting like a spoiled child. That kind of behavior shouldn’t be rewarded.”

“Well, if you don’t want--”

“Don’t finish that sentence. I _do_ want to dance.” Minori allowed Shiroe to lead her away from the railing. 

Akatsuki and Regan stayed where they were, watching the pair stumble through the steps of the waltz. At one point, Shiroe stepped on both of Minori’s feet at the same time. 

Akatsuki winced. “They’re really bad, aren’t they?”

“Oh, absolutely,” Regan agreed. “Shiroe has no sense of rhythm, and he’s twice Minori’s height. They couldn’t be a worse pair if they’d tried. Still, it was kind of him to offer.” 

He turned to look at Akatsuki. “You know of her past, right?” She nodded. “Right, then I won’t bother repeating it. I’ll only mention that Shiroe has always carried a sense of guilt because of it.”

Akatsuki couldn’t believe her ears. “Guilt? But I thought he was the one who saved her and her brother?”

“Yes, that’s true. But after that, they had nowhere to go. Shiroe found a knight program that would accept Touya, but as for Minori, her only options were to join the laundry staff of a different Lord and be at odds with her brother, or stay here in the Palace with us. He feels he failed to give her a good choice, and that he rather forced her to stay here instead of being a normal girl.”

“That’s absurd,” Akatsuki said before she could stop herself.

“I quite agree. Minori would never stay here if she didn’t care to. The fact of the matter is she’s perfectly suited to being the Mage of Miral Lake in due time, and she wasn’t forced into anything. Shiroe knows that, at least on some level, but it’s easier for us to accept it than him, I suppose.”

Twenty ended, and the orchestra struck up [Fifteen](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tSI5_AicRqw) in its place. It was another breezy waltz, more light-hearted than Twenty and with the melody carried by a carefree flute. Akatsuki privately thought that Fifteen was a much better song than Twenty, but she wasn’t going to tell Minori that. 

Regan surprised her by standing up from the balcony floor and extending his hand as Shiroe had done earlier. “I have enjoyed our chat, but would you care to join them on the dance floor?”

Akatsuki shrugged. “Why not? Let’s show those two how to _actually_ dance.”

In the end, both pairs were terrible, and the dancing quickly devolved into traded insults and intentional toe-stepping. Still, it was fun. At one point, Akatsuki even found herself thinking _I wish this was my life. I wish it wasn’t all a lie. I don’t want to go home._

Eventually, the four were all danced out, and they returned to the library wing, legs shaking with fatigue and sides with laughter. Akatsuki nearly fell asleep the second her bedroom door clicked closed behind her, but something caught her eye. A letter had been placed on her desk. _That’s odd. I know my last report wasn’t anything special. It was this coming one that was supposed to be exceptional._

With tired, fumbling fingers, she undid the seal and scanned the letter. It was short, but the paltry number of words did nothing to diminish the way her heart dropped when she read the instructions: _Now is the time. Kill Shiroe. Bring me his diadem when you return._

* * *

Akatsuki had stayed up late into the night devising the perfect plan for Shiroe’s assassination. In her meagre travel bag she had packed various kunoichi essentials, and one of those was an invisible powdered poison. She could mix it into his tea one day, and he wouldn’t even have time to comment on its unusual bitter flavor before he went into cardiac arrest. Even one sip would do. 

Minori usually offered to bring everyone tea in the ‘mid-morning’ lull, a time a normal Lander would consider a late lunch. Akatsuki would keep an eye on the girl, and when she looked like she might get up and announce her intentions Akatsuki would do it instead. Then she would simply add the poison before re-entering the library, keeping tabs on which cup was specifically meant for Shiroe, and watch the rest unfold.

It would be a bit telling that the one day she brought tea was the one day someone died, Akatsuki supposed. That was the only real drawback of the plan. But, the blame could just as easily be placed on one of the kitchen staff. Maybe Emilia was still mad at her and Shiroe. Maybe it was a third party Akatsuki didn’t know who had it out for herself or Shiroe, or both. Maybe someone (else) had infiltrated the Palace. There were several possible explanations, and no time to think of any other plan. This was a go.

She got no research done that day, which didn’t matter at all, since she would soon be making her departure. She kept an eye and an ear on Minori at all times, waiting for the subtle sigh, the tell-tale stretch. Finally, she saw her opening. Minori was shifting in her chair, rolling her shoulders and neck. She was getting twitchy. 

Akatsuki stood up. “I think I’ll grab tea for us all today. I’m craving a cup, and it’s not fair that Minori always retrieves it.”

“Oh, Miss Akatsuki, you don’t have to do that.” Minori tidied a stack of papers on her desk. “I’ll just--”

“No, really, it’s fine.” Akatsuki glanced around the room. “Any special requests?”

“None for me today,” Shiroe said, and Akatsuki bit her lip to keep from cursing. _Why? He always takes tea at this time! It’s not like my plan is ruined, but it’s annoying. _

“Oh, that’s unusual,” she said instead, keeping her tone light. “Any particular reason why?”

Shiroe tugged at the neck of his robe. “It’s way too hot today. The last thing I need is a warm drink. Thank you, though.”

Akatsuki nodded and took her leave, procuring the three cups of tea. _Shiroe isn’t wrong. The summer heat is becoming unbearable, even more so when we wear these heavy robes and stay cooped up in that room all day. Even the Eternal Ice isn’t helping anymore. I guess this delays suspicions a bit, too. Tomorrow will be the day._

The next day was still boiling, and Regan refused tea as well. Akatsuki and Minori both allowed their tea to cool before drinking. _Tomorrow is the day. I’ll kill him for sure._

Thankfully, the third day after Malves’ kill order was cloudy, and a steady drizzle continued the whole morning. The gloomy atmosphere made tea the perfect drink, and added a much more suitable atmosphere for a political assassination. Once more, Akatsuki offered to bring tea, and finally Shiroe agreed to a cup. On her way back from the kitchen, she stopped and rested the tea tray on the balcony outside the library. Then, she retrieved from an inner pocket a small pouch of a fine, white powder: the poison. Akatsuki poured a tiny amount into the tea and swirled it with her finger to dissolve it. Then she balanced the tray on one hand and opened the door. 

She was the picture of innocence as she distributed the cups, first to Minori, then to Regan, then to her own desk, and finally made her way to Shiroe. Her hands never trembled, her smile never wavered. No one would suspect her of any ill intentions, and that was just the way Akatsuki liked it. In order to be a kunoichi, one had to be a believable actress. 

She reached Shiroe at the back of the library and extended the poisoned cup to him. “Your tea.”

Shiroe reached out with both hands to take the tea from her. His fingers closed over hers, and in that second everything went to hell.

The burning feeling in her fingertips was so strong that Akatsuki thought maybe she had splashed the tea on herself. But that wasn’t it. Not a drop had left the cup. And judging by Shiroe’s hiss of pain, he was experiencing the same sensation. She jerked her hand out from under his, causing the cup to drop to the floor. Tea splashed everywhere. Distantly, Akatsuki was aware of Minori diving to the floor and mopping up the puddle with her sleeve, and of Regan moving important documents out of the way. But that was all in the periphery. 

She stared in horror at her hand. In the place where Shiroe’s fingers had made contact with her own, they were discolored. A deep, dark blue the color of ink resided there instead, but Akatsuki knew that this was no stain. Not of the normal variety, at least. She glanced up. Shiroe’s fingers were dark too, the purple-black shade of obsidian. The same color as her eyes. 

She saw his fingers reaching out for her, like in a trance. “You’re--”

Akatsuki took a frantic step back, and then another, but there wasn’t much room before she bumped into her desk. “Don’t touch me!” 

A million thoughts raced through her mind all at once, but the only one that was clear was a singular word, repeated over and over again. _RUN._

So she did. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> :)
> 
> Find me and request bingo squares on Tumblr (I’m @therewillbebeauty)! I'm playing both Fluff Bingo and Bad Things Happen Bingo, so I can either torture or pamper your fave--or both!

**Author's Note:**

> Find me and request bingo squares on Tumblr (I’m @therewillbebeauty)! I'm playing both Fluff Bingo and Bad Things Happen Bingo, so I can either torture or pamper your fave--or both!


End file.
